Given how difficult it is to get an iPad 2 in America right now, you didn’t have to be a die-hard cynic to think that Apple was going to have to repeat 2010’s one month international delay in launching the iPad internationally.
Not so! Apple wants everyone to know that the iPad 2 will still launch in 25 more countries this Friday.
Apple also announced that all models of iPad 2 will be available in Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and additional countries in April.
As with the American launch, customers will be able to purchase their iPad 2 directly at an Apple retail store starting at 5pm local time. If you want to order one online, you can do so through Apple.com at 1am that same day (the press release doesn’t say, but presumably this is Pacific Time).
If you’re an international customer planning on ordering an iPad 2 online, keep in mind that even the U.S. customers who ordered their iPad 2s within minutes of the order page going live had to wait 3-5 business days for their iPad 2 to ship (mine only came yesterday). Also, U.S. customers who didn’t order their iPad 2s quickly now face a 4-5 week wait. Set your alarms and get ready to be patient. To explore more about the history on Mac and how previous Apple devices evolved, check out this detailed timeline.
How is Apple capable of launching in 25 countries when they can’t even supply the United States? My guess is that they’ve either been stockpiling iPad 2s for the international launch, or that current US delivery estimate times are massively informed by projected international demand.
Either way, if you’re someone who has been trying to get an iPad 2 at your local Apple Store, only to have a shady gray market iPad 2 smuggler purchase it out from under you every time, take heart! As the gray market overseas is a huge part of what is contributing to current shortages, iPad 2 availability through retail channels should actually improve when the tablet is available in more countries.
John Brownlee is a writer for Fast Company, and a contributing writer here at CoM. He has also written for Wired, Playboy, Boing Boing, Popular Mechanics, VentureBeat, and Gizmodo. He lives in Boston with his wife and two parakeets. You can follow him here on Twitter.
18 responses to “Apple: iPad 2 Will Launch Internationally On Friday At 5PM Local Time”
WTF ? I am still looking, waiting for one! How is there more available for international shipments??
What? Where does it say Apple Stores will sell it at 5 pm? Every apple store I called here say they sell it when the store opens!
I have only heard from resellers they have to wait till 5 pm.
Can I somehow order “internationally” and have it shipped to the U.S.?
it cant be 5pm……why wud they do that when theieir stores open in the early morning ppl are going to camp out the night before…..wats the point of having a 5pm release a bunch of ppl are gona crowd the store all day waiting for them to let them buy the ipad makes no sense
The gray market thing is really annoying. I got in line at the Georgetown store this morning and saw an Apple Store employee giving out cards with bar codes to people in line. She ran out when she came to me which was depressing as she had had to wait for someone to interpret to the 10 people in the line what they were queuing for, all of them buying 2 each regardless of model. Sigh. Will have to wait to return to London now.
Why not use pictures of the actual iPad 2 for this article?
Why on earth do you think you have precedence over people in other countries? Just chill, and accept that you are no different from everyone else. Oh, and be thankful that at least others in your country had a 2 week head start.
Brandycmc, save your time. Americans don’t grasp the concept that they’re no different from everyone else…
5pm will have been chosen as the time to start selling the iPad 2 because Apple know very well that people will spend all day waiting outside the stores to get one. This is great marketing because everyone else passing by will naturally want to know what all the fuss is about. If the iPad 2 goes on sale first thing in the morning Apple will miss out on most of that free marketing. They certainly don’t care about the fact it is going to be more inconvenient for most people. Not a problem for me personally as I don’t plan to upgrade from my existing iPad, but I’d be pretty annoyed by this decision if I had planned to try and get one on Friday.